Supporting device



Oct. 26, 1943. w. BRENNER 2,332,504

SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed April 17, 1940 Afforney Patented Oct. 26, 1943 1 SUPPORTING nrzvrcn' =Willrelm Brenner, Berlin, Germany; vestedlin the Alien Property Custodian Application April 1 7, 19-40, Sei-iaINo; 330.1125 p In Germany May 2,.1939' 'My invention' relates to improvements in stands and. universal joints therefor, and moreparticularly in "stands such as-ere used for supporting cameras and other apparatus in such a way that the said apparatus can beset-at different angles relatively to the stand, the universal joint-being provided for permitting such adjustment. One of theobjects of the improvements is to provide a standwhich is adapted tape used onsupports of different shape, for example' o n a'ta-lole having three legs secured theretol'on a supporting mem ber having a single leg adapted to be supported on th'e ground and a chain-or'chains for holding the same in position by means of the feet of the attenda'n't, or on aboard or table; With this object in'view my invention consists in constructing a'stan'd in'the form of a screw clamp having the universal joint" supporting the apparatus mounted on'one arm and the clamping screw-in the other arm,- the said stand being {providedwi'th a screw-threaded nipple. A stander this-construction may be clamped on aboard, the arm carrying the universal joint bearing on theto'p" face of the said boardand the screw engaging the bottom face thereof, or it may be placed with its, nipple on a table having'a screwor nut adapted for engagement with i said screw threaded nipple.'

Another object of the improvements is'to'provide'a stand of thetype indicated in which-the angular positions, and-thereafter, clamped in the set positions, and withthisobject in view-my invention consists improvid-inga spring-in con-- nection with the universal joint adapted to hold the parts thereof in frictional engagement andso' that the joint may be readily'adj'usted by the hand of the attendant, andmeanssu'ch as'a screw for" positively clai'nping the universal joint inset position. In the preferred construction thesaid screw is used as the screw member-cf-the screw clamp, the said screwhavingth function" first to fix the stand on a table, "and second to fix-the parts of the universal joint in position; i

For the purpose of explaining the invention several examples embodying the same have'been shown in the accompan'yin'gdrawing inv'vhich the same reference'cliaracters have been used in all the views to indicate corresponding parts. In said drawing,

Fig. l is an elevation partly'in section showing the stand orsupporting'devicm v p v Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatical'elevation showing the stand or supporting device mounted on a rod adapte'dto 'be'suppo'rt'ed onj'the ground,

--Fig. 3 is an elevation'of the'stand shown'in Fig."

1 showingthe same mounted on a tablehaving threelegs hingedthereto"; i Fig. 4 is an elevation'of the stand mounted on aboard; I J Fig. 5 is-an elevation partlyin section showing" a modification of the universal joint, and

Fig. =6 'is a similar elevation showing another modification. I

In the constructionshown in Fig.1 the stand comprises a suppo-rting member I having an up perarmZZ 'and a lower arm 3. The upper arm 2- is provided witha bore comprising a lower portion '4 :of' larger diameter and-an upper portion 5 ,of reduced diameter providing an annular shoul'der'li. The upper portion 5 of the said bore and-the shoulder fi provide a seatfor a sleeve 1 and its flange-B the said sleeve being formed at its top with an annular 'spherical seat 9; Within the said sleeve andbe'a'ring on the said seat there is'a ball or similar supporting member'lllformed With a spherical surface, and the said supporting member isheld in-position by means of acylindrical block l"l formed at itstop with a spherical" cavity corresponding to the spherical surface of the said'supportingmember. 'As' shown the said block is guided inthe portion 4 of larger diameter of 'the bore and it projects with a portion re du'ced in diameter into the sleeve;'a'suitable clear ance being provided between the bottom face of universal joint-may be readily set into different the flange 8' andthe block H to permit clamping engagement of the said block with the supportingfrhemberl0. In the construction shownin the figure" the supporting-member" 1-0 carries-a screw threaded-nipple Hladapted to have an apparatus such as-a' camera fixed therto 'Tothe supporting member'l a leaf spring I is secured which-engages'in'a diametrical groove made'in the botto'mpart of the block l'Land which' urges "the said block upwardly and into frictional engagement with the spherical supporting member-l9,- the power of the said spring being-sue hat it; permit'slthe supporting InmE-j; ber onba'll- 01:0 be'readi'ly set within the 'slee've'f v Tatcifie r'ent angles and holds the same in set;

"position. In an internally screw-threaded eye l6 at'its-lower end anda head I? at its top end the said head being adapted to'engage thebottom fade of theblock H andto force the same up wardly and into engagement with the ball [3 thebottom face of the'arm2;

The? supporting member i is formed with i an r internally screw-threaded nipple 1'8. At opposite" sides of the bore 4, 5 eyes I9 and 20 are provided respectively on the supporting member I and the arm 2, the said eyes being adapted to have the ends of a chain 2I attached thereto.

In Figs. 2 to 4 I have illustrated the manner of using the stand,

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 the stand is mounted on a cane 2| adapted to be supported on the ground. As shown the crutch 22 of the said cane is placed between the arms 2 and 3 and the head I! and the bottom face of the block I I, and it is clamped between the said parts by screwing the screw I5 inwardly. To the eyes I9 and 20 the ends of the chain 2| are attached, The rod 2| is forced into the ground, and the photographer sets his feet on the bottom part of the chain spreading the same apart so as to hold the stand I and the camera 23 mounted thereon in position. Before making a photograph, the camera 23 is set into the proper angular position on the. stand I, and. for this purpose the screw I 5 is first screwed downwardly, so that it releases the block I I. Now the said block is held in loose frictional engagement with the ball III, so that the said ball and the camera mounted thereon may be readily set into the desired angular position, .the power of the spring l3 being sufiiclent loosely to hold the camera in the said position. Now the screw I 5 is again screwed upwardly and into position for forcing the block II upwardly, which therefore presses the ball I on its seat.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated the manner of mounting the stand I on a tripod25. The table of the said tripod has a short screw 26 fixed thereto, and the stand I is screwed on the said screw with its internally screw-threaded nipple l3. Thus the stand is disposed angularly of the vertical axis of the tripod. The screw I is directed laterally of the table of the tripod 25 so that it can be turned without being interferred with by the said table.

After the stand has thus been fixed on the tripod 25 the ball I0 is set into the proper position, while the screw I 5 is out of engagement with the block II, and the ball is held by the spring I3 in frictional engagement with the seat 9. After the ball III has thus been set the screw I5 is-screwed inwardly and into position for rigidly clamping the ball I0 on its seat.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated the manner of. mounting the stand I on a board 28, for example the board of a table. As shown the arms 2 and 3 straddle the said board, the block I I bears on the top face and the head II of the screw I5 on the bottom face of the said board; The ball I0 is first set into the desired position while the screw I5 is loose, and thereafter the said screw is screwed inwardly and into clamping engagement with the block I I. Now the screw has two functions, first to clamp the stand I in position on the board 28, and second to force the block II upwardly and into clamping engagement with the ball II). This double function is possible because the block II projects downwardly beyond thearm 2. I

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of the universal joint on which the camera or similar apparatus is mounted. It .will be understood that the device shown in the said figure may be mounted on a stand in the form of a screw clamp similar to the one illustrated in Fig. l, or that itmay be mounted on another support such as the tripod 25 shown in Fig. 3.

- wepspherical supporting member or ball on fl p r tus s mounted is mounted within its sleeve in a similar way as has been described with reference to Fig. l, a spring being provided for frictlonally holding the said ball in position and a screw being provided for clamping the ball in set position.

A ball 30 is located in a cylindrical sleeve 3| which is reduced in diameter at its top part to provide a seat- 32. Within the sleeve there is a block 33 which is formed with a spherical top face engaging the bottom part 'of the ball 30. Below the block 33 a disk 35 is fixed to the sleeve, and the said disk provides a support for a coiled spring 36 engaging the block 33 and holding the same in frictional engagement with the seat 32. Below the said disk 35 a cylindrical slide 31 is mounted within the sleeve which is formed with an axial pin 38 projecting through a central bore made in the disk 35 and engaging the bottom face of the block 33. The slide 31 is adapted to be forced upwardly by means of a screw 39 passed through the wall of the sleeve 3| and disposed angularly thereof and bearing on a bevelled face 40 of the slide 31. The bottom part of the sleeve 3I is fixed to a cylindrical base 4| provided with a flange 42 and having an internally screwthreaded socket 43.

Normally the block 33 is acted upon only by the spring 36, so that the ball 30 is in loose frictional engagement with the seat 32. Thus the said ball and theapparatus fixed to the screw 44 carried by the ball may be set into the proper position, and thereafter the screw 39 is screwed inwardly thus forcing the slide 31 upwardly and clamping the ball 30 on its seat.

The sleeve may be mounted on any suitable support, for example on any of the supports illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, and it will be understood that the ball 30 and the camera or other apparatus carried thereby may be clamped in the proper position after the sleeve has thus been fixed to its support.

In Fig. 6 I have shown another modification which is similar to the one illustrated in Fig. 5, and the same letters of reference have been used to indicate corresponding parts. As distinguished from the construction shown in Fig. 5, the sleeve 3| is supported by means of arms I8 on a base 41 formed with an internally screw-threaded socket 48 by means of which the base and the parts carried thereby may be mounted on a suitable support such as has been described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. The slide 31 is formed with an internally screw-threaded bore engaged by a screw guided with its bottom end in a bail 5| and carrying a handle 52.

- The device Shown in Fig. 6 is first mounted on a suitable support, the screw 50 is turned in a direction for moving the slide 31 downwardly and out of clamping engagement with the ball 38, the said ball is set at the desired angle, and it is temporarily held in the set position by means of the spring 36. Finally the screw 50 is turned in a direction for forcing the slide 31 upwardly thus rigidly clamping the ball 30 on its seat.

I claim:

1. A support having two spaced arms, a sleeve mounted on one of said arms and formed with an annular seat, a screw mounted in the other arm of said support axially of said sleeve, a supporting member having a spherical surface bearing on said seat, a block slidable within said sleeve and projecting therefrom in position for forcing said member onto said seat, and aspring acting on said block in a direction for forcing said member into frictional engagement with said seat, said block being in position for being acted upon by said screw in a direction for forcing said member onto its seat.

2. In a ball and socket joint comprising a sleeve formed with an annular seat, a member having a spherical surface located within said sleeve and bearing on said seat, a block slidable within said sleeve and projecting therefrom in position for forcing said member onto said seat, and releasable means acting on said block for rigidly forcing the said member onto its seat, the improvement heresaid base member for holding the parts of the universal joint in loose frictional engagement with each other, and releasable means on the base m mber for simultaneouslyholding the parts of the universal joint in fined relation to each other and for securing the supporting device-to said structure with which the base is engaged. y

4. In a supporting device of the kind which is'detachably secured to an. independent structure and which has a base member engageable I with said structure, auniversal oint having relatively movable parts carried by the base mem her, and a supporting member carried by one of j the movable parts of the universaljoint to provide mounting means for apparatus supported by the device, the combination of a pair of spaced arms on said base member, said universal joint being carried by one of said arms, resilient means on the base member for holding the parts of the universal joint in loose frictional engagement with each other, and releaseable means carried by the second arm for simultaneously holding th parts" of the universal joint in fixed relation toeach other and for securing the arms of'the support ing device to said structure, saidreleaseable means comprising a screw which extends through said second arm and which is movable towards and away from s'aiduniversal joint.

WILHELM BRENNER;. 

